Allan McNish became the most successful British driver in one of America’s oldest motor races when the “Flying Scotsman” earned his new diesel engined Audi a sensational and hard fought debut victory in the Sebring 12 Hour endurance sportscar race in Florida tonight (Sat 21 Mar).

McNish bagged his hat-trick of Sebring victories when the 39-year-old Dumfries-born ace, together with Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Denmark), steered their Audi R15 TDI to a narrow 22.279secs win after clocking up a record 1,417.10 miles at a record average speed of 117.986mph.

“Our brand new R15 TDI was faultless throughout the race and allowed Audi to secure another Sebring debut victory,” said an ecstatic McNish.

“This must go down in the history books as one of the best Sebring 12 Hour races ever when you take in to account the competition, the intensity from start to finish making it a sprint race, with the final two hours especially typifying what Audi Sport is all about – grit and determination – the entire team can be proud in taking the laurels back to Ingolstadt in Germany.

“We arrived at Sebring with minimal testing under our belts which makes this result even sweeter.”

The result earned the German manufacturer a perfect “warm-up” for its title defence of the Le Mans 24 Hours in June with its brand new V10 turbo diesel – a race won last year by the same trio of drivers in the Audi R10 TDI.

The Briton started the 57th running of the Floridian race from the front row, Kristensen having been denied pole-position by a scant 0.082secs, but McNish snatched the lead at the green light, handing the Audi over to Capello after 91mins.

McNish took over the Audi from Kristensen placed second on five hours and immediately swept into the lead on his very first lap back out on track but it was the Peugeot of Sebastien Bourdais/Franck Montagny/Stephane Sarrazin that led by 13secs at mid-distance as race honours hung in the balance in a battle of race strategies.

Kristensen, who has now won a record five Sebring races, had built up a 30secs lead when McNish took over for a final time just short of two hours to run with Allan maintaining a 24secs lead after his final scheduled pit-stop for a splash of diesel with 15mins to the chequered flag.

The second Audi Sport Team Joest entered R15 TDI driven by German trio Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller and Marco Werner – the latter only driving one stint due to bruised ribs – started from fourth place on the 26-car grid and finished third – two laps down on the winners.